A 3-pointer to force overtime by Galva's Dexter Ingels bounced off the rim in the closing seconds of Saturday night's Lincoln Trail Conference tournament title game, giving Wethersfield a 57-54 win over the 2012 tourney champs.

"It doesn't really matter what the records are, it's going to be tough," said Wethersfield coach Jeff Parsons of meetings between the Geese and Wildcats.

"It wasn't what we wanted," said Galva coach Chance Jones of his team's last shot. "They forced us into taking a shot and I don't think we realized how much time we really had. I still think that's a shot Dexter could've made. The (Trey) Hannam kid did a good job getting his hand up."

Leading 57-54, Wethersfield's Trevor Lay missed the front end of a one-and-bonus with 14.1 seconds to play. The Wildcats rebounded, pushed the ball to the front court and called timeout with 7.6 seconds to play, setting the stage for the final shot by Ingels.

"We thought about fouling late. We could've put them on the line to shoot two free throws, but with my luck they would've shot a three, hit it and made the free throw," said Parsons. "We always trust our defense. We'd much rather have to guard late than try to hit a shot."

After weathering a 9-0 run to start the game by Wethersfield, the Wildcats settled in and traded punches with the top-seeded Geese. Ingels drilled a 30-footer at the first-quarter buzzer to put the Wildcats on top 14-13.

"Every time we play Wethersfield, especially the first time of the year and even though we talked about it, it takes us a minute to realize how fast they are," said Jones. "I thought we could've got down on ourselves, but we didn't. I was really proud of that and that's going be huge for us in big games down the stretch."

Galva's biggest lead in the second quarter was four points, and the Wildcats carried a 32-30 edge into the locker room at halftime. The Geese closed the third quarter with a bucket on the offensive boards by Hannam to take a 47-45 lead into the final eight minutes.

After Galva's Caleb Rux tied the game on a putback to open the fourth quarter, the Geese rattled off seven straight points, capped by Kegan Jacobson's three-point play, to go on top 54-47 with 4:44 remaining.

Ingels answered with his own three-point play to pull Galva within 56-52, and Reece Hoxworth made it a one-possession game with 23 seconds remaining with a putback, but Wethersfield's defense rose to the occasion in the closing seconds to secure the LTC tourney title.

"We knew it was going to be a tough game and we didn't play our best, but credit Galva for that," said Parsons. "We got a great punch from them, but our guys played just a little bit better."

Page 2 of 2 - "I'm very proud of my guys. They find ways to get it done every night.'

"I loved it. It was a great game and it was a lot of fun," said Jones. "What more could you ask for in the Lincoln Trail Conference championship?"

Wethersfield's Lay led all scorers with 23 points, while Jacobson added 11 for the 21-3 Geese.

Ingels topped the 18-4 Wildcats with 15 points, followed by David Jeffries and Hoxworth with 14 each.

The two teams battle again tonight in Galva, with the LTC regular-season lead on the line. Both enter with 6-0 conference records.

"They lost four pretty good players last year and they came right back and are right in the mix in the Lincoln Trail," said Parsons of the Wildcats. "Chance was my assistant and I hated to lose him, but I knew he was going to get Galva turned around. He has."